Choose a Villain: Kanye or Roger Stone

www.ozy.com Sponsored by Monday, July 13, 2020 Everyone loves a good villain. They’re the best film roles. When vilified in the public square, they make us feel better about ourselves. And where would our political attack ads be without them? In that spirit, today’s Daily Dose gives a rundown of some of our current favorite villains. This is not to say they’re all bad. Many are complicated characters, and whether you loathe or love them, they have one thing in common: You can’t look away. culture warriors 1. Kanye West From [“George Bush doesn’t care about Black people”]( to [“Imma let you finish”]( to his current supposed run for president, West has been one of the most inflammatory figures of the past two decades — while producing some of the best hip-hop of the era and building a billion-dollar business. The multilayered star drew ridicule most recently [for saying he’d pattern his presidential administration]( after the fictional nation of Wakanda and saying he is against vaccines. But given his bipolar diagnosis, should a more apt response be concern? 2. Amy Cooper She's the white woman caught on film angrily threatening to call the cops on Black bird-watcher Christian Cooper, who confronted her for not having her dog on a leash in Central Park. She became the national pariah of the moment back in May, losing her job and (briefly) her dog. Now she’s been charged with filing a false police report, though [Christian Cooper says he’s not cooperating]( in the case, preferring to let sleeping dogs lie. [3. Candace Owens]( OZY first told you about Owens [in the summer of 2018](, before President Donald Trump helped elevate this “red pill” right-wing star to full-blown national villain. The dynamic 31-year-old social media star and Fox News regular devotes her days to getting her fellow Black people to ditch the Democratic Party “plantation.” Lately the ace provocateur has said George Floyd was [“not a good person”]( and been [called out for a fundraising scheme]( that went directly to her company, not any political activity. [Read more on OZY]( 4. Joe Rogan Spotify recently made the uber-podcaster an extraordinarily rich man, getting exclusive access to The Joe Rogan Experience for some $100 million. As he [told The New York Times](, the sum “feels gross” in these pandemic times. That’s partially because the former Fear Factor host’s show has become a bit of a haven for [toxic masculinity]( and snake oil products. [Advert]( [Advert]( crime pays 1. Elizabeth Holmes The poster child for Silicon Valley BS is due to get her day in court this fall. And if the [list of potential witnesses]( is any indication — from Henry Kissinger to James Mattis to Rupert Murdoch — it’ll be a doozy. Holmes, 36, a wunderkind who styled herself like Steve Jobs, founded rapid blood-testing company Theranos with a lot of hype but could never deliver results. So, according to prosecutors, she made them up. Now she stands accused of defrauding investors and faces up to 20 years in prison. 2. Daniel Kinahan Accused of being an [Irish crime boss](, the 43-year-old is now apparently crossing into boxing promotion while living in the UAE. He is believed to have [stitched together]( a two-match fight between WBC heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury and WBA, WBO and IBF champion Anthony Joshua, [worrying the British and Irish governments](. 3. Zhang Jian This [Chinese fentanyl kingpin]( is a salesman with a background in logistics, not gangs: He has a history of deals in counterfeit clothes, sweeteners and sex toys. Indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2017 and charged with the deaths of four overdose victims, he remains at large in China. shop now [Start Your Workday Right]( With the pandemic not slowing down anytime soon and summer plans gone out the window, homebound is where most of us will be for the near future. But that doesn’t mean staring at the four empty walls of your home office every day — hang this poster above your desk to start the workday bold and empowered as you take on whatever WFH may throw your way! [Shop now]( politicos 1. Roger Stone His back tattoo of Richard Nixon might need an update. Stone, 67, had his [prison sentence commuted]( by longtime pal President Donald Trump last week — just before Stone was set to report to prison. Stone had been convicted of lying to Congress (about his communications with WikiLeaks about stolen emails, among other things) and obstructing Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. A [proud political dirty trickster](, expect Stone to seek out the limelight this fall with more pro-Trump shenanigans. 2. Mitch McConnell Think the Senate majority leader likes being a villain? His campaign sells T-shirts emblazoned with “Cocaine Mitch,” [a wink at a conspiracy-laden attack]( on McConnell from a Republican Senate candidate in West Virginia. McConnell helped squash him like a bug, like many a foe over the 78-year-old’s career. The subject of a biography entitled [The Cynic](, McConnell has formed an alliance with Trump primarily to stock federal courts with as many conservatives as possible. He’s drawn so much ire from the left that his long-shot opponent in Kentucky this year has raised a staggering $41 million. [3. Steve Sweeney]( The buck in the New Jersey Senate stops with this burly former ironworker, who’s [cast himself as a Democrat]( unwilling to institute a new millionaires tax — frustrating many in his party, even as he held an iron grip over state politics (along with businessman George Norcross). But there are signs Sweeney’s power might be waning: Upstart candidate Amy Kennedy captured a key congressional primary last month, [beating out the Sweeney-backed machine]( hopeful. [Read more on OZY]( [4. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]( When national Republicans want to paint an anodyne Democrat like North Carolina Senate hopeful Cal Cunningham as a dangerous liberal, the recipe is easy: [Cut AOC into an ad](. Ocasio-Cortez, whom [OZY first told you about]( before her shocking 2018 win, has become a national star — and a lightning rod — during her first term in Congress, with her foes eager to exploit initiatives like the multitrillion-dollar Green New Deal. Ubiquitous on both left- and right-leaning media, the 30-year-old has become one of the critical villains in the battle for Congress. villain quiz The Real 'Lost Cause' As the debate about statues continues, here’s one about a man whose marble visage still stands in the U.S. Capitol: Which leader gave a major speech that included the following? The Confederacy’s “foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his natural and moral condition.” Answer at bottom. power seekers 1. Vladimir Putin Xi Jinping is more powerful. Kim Jong Un is more dictatorial. But there’s no more perfect villain on the world stage than the former KGB officer who recently [rammed through constitutional changes]( that effectively make him president for life. What territorial expansionism or foreign election meddling does Putin, 67, have in store next? He will need something good to take his subjects’ mind off the [coronavirus-enhanced troubles at home](. [2. Ali Darassa]( The warlord at the helm of one of the biggest armed groups battling it out in the Central African Republic was brought in as a government adviser in a recent peace deal. He backed out, but now the government is trying to woo Darassa back with cash and more — setting him up to be a kingmaker in a violence-racked nation. [Read more on OZY]( [3. Zabihullah Mujahid]( He has been the Taliban’s mouthpiece for 12 years, yet he might not even be a real person. His Twitter account has more than 65,000 followers, but it’s unclear if it’s operated by several members of the Afghan Sunni extremist group or just one. With America having signed a peace deal with the Taliban to withdraw all its troops, he (they?) are now one step closer to speaking for the nation. [Read more on OZY]( sporty 1. DeSean Jackson The Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver who once famously fumbled the ball on the 1-yard line during a premature touchdown celebration now finds himself fighting for his job because of an Instagram post. How bad could an Instagram post be? Well, the former Pro Bowler posted an Adolf Hitler quote — a [fake Hitler quote, to boot]( — about how Jews keep Blacks down. The Eagles decided to fine Jackson, 33, but didn’t cut him — the [same punishment they leveled]( on white receiver Riley Cooper in 2013 when he was caught on video using the N-word. 2. José Altuve Baseball will soon be back from its coronavirus hiatus, which is a great opportunity to remind everyone that the Houston Astros are a bunch of cheaters. Their sign-stealing scandal rocked the league during the offseason, and slugging second baseman and former MVP Altuve became its face — mostly because of [a rumor he denies]( that he wore a buzzer to tip him off to what pitches were coming. (He was still getting tipped off to pitches by teammates banging trash cans.) The good news for Altuve? Fans can’t boo him if they aren’t allowed in the ballpark. [3. Candice Wiggins]( A former WNBA star, she burned a lot of bridges when she said her heterosexuality and popularity caused her to be bullied throughout her professional career. Her romantic preference for men, and the accompanying locker room headaches, was the “biggest hurdle of my career,” she said. The blowback was fierce, and has left her reeling, but unwilling to back down. [Read more on OZY]( quiz answer [Alexander H. Stephens](, of Georgia. [TV]( | [Podcasts]( | [News]( | [FESTIVALS]( Modern Media Company OZY Media, 800 West El Camino Mountain View, California 94040 This email was sent to {EMAIL} [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Read Online](